The Nigerian Medical Association has asked the federal government to immediately re-constitute a council before September 30 for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, which regulates doctors and dentists nationwide.

The September 30 deadline marks 10 weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari declared MDCN council would be reconstituted.

It was dissolved three years ago, rendering MDCN without a council to entertain or enforce complaints or allegations against doctors or dentists.

An executive committee of the association is also to go to court to demand an interpretation for a phrase in the MDCN establishment act that says “the council shall be a body corporate in with perpetual succession”.

It comes after repeated dissolution of the council continually hamper its ability to police doctors and dentists.

The demand to reconstitute MDCN and seek court interpretation for “perpetual succession” is among a handful reached as executives of NMA met in Osogbo.

Meanwhile, the association has condemned the police action that criminalised doctors at Garki Hospital in Abuja who treated a gunshot victim.

Angela Igwetu, on National Youth Service, was reportedly shot on July 4 by Inspector Benjamin Peter in Abuja and rushed to Garki Hospital, where she died.

Controversy in the wake of her death and subsequent investigation led to doctors accusing police of criminalizing their work at the hospital.